In elevator installations it can be important to recognize safety-critical states in good time. Such safety-critical states are, for example, failure of a support element, overloading of a cage or driving of a cage without a counterweight in that case being moved oppositely. Such and other safety-critical states are monitored by respectively associated safety systems. Thus, for example, loading of the cage is monitored by load measuring sensors. The state of a support element is monitored by, for example, optical checking systems or by magnetic sensors.